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Henry says COVID vaccine supply to increase in February; total cases top 70,000

154,496 people have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine
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A man wearing a face mask to curb the spread of COVID-19 walks past paper hearts on the windows of a community centre, in Burnaby, B.C., on Sunday, February 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. recorded 1,236 new cases of COVID-19, and 13 deaths, over the weekend, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said during a press conference Monday (Feb. 8).

By day, the breaks down to 428 cases recorded Saturday, 465 cases reported Sunday and 343 cases on Monday, and five epi-linked cases. There are a total of 3,976 active cases currently, with 6,900 people under public health monitoring.

By region, the three-day total breaks down to 266 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 601 cases in Fraser Health, 152 cases in Interior Health, 86 cases in Island Health and 131 cases in Northern Health.

There have been a total of 70,952 cases of COVID-19 in B.C. since the pandemic began, of whom 65,605 have recovered. There are 234 people in hospital at the moment, 69 of whom are in intensive care or ICU. B.C. death toll from the coronavirus has reached 1,259.

There have been two new outbreaks in health-care facilities, and four that have ended. In total, there are 22 active outbreaks in long-term care facilities and nine in acute care.

Henry said that 154,496 people have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Of those people, 12,111 have received their second dose, mostly within the 42 day window allowed between doses. She said that B.C. is still gearing up to begin mass vaccinations in April, after the elderly living outside of long-term care facilities have been immunized. Henry said she has “no concerns” about people waiting longer than 42 days, as data from Quebec and other countries show that antibodies remain high for a longer period of time.

“Each week (in February) the available supply will increase,” Henry said, adding that British Columbians will “receive the information you need” once they are eligible to be vaccinated.

However, even as mass vaccinations draw closer, Henry said that restrictions remain in place. B.C. health officials had announced Friday that restrictions on gatherings and events were in place indefinitely. On Monday, Henry said her guidelines for lessening restrictions include fewer cases, fewer outbreaks and better understanding where variants of concern are coming from.

READ MORE: Top doctor ‘dreading’ possibility that COVID variants will take off in B.C.


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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